KUALA LUMPUR: The United States (US) Senate has confirmed the nomination of Joshua Harris as the country’s next ambassador to Malaysia.
Harris has been confirmed by the US Senate as the country’s next ambassador to Malaysia, following a voice vote on Sept 30, 2026.
According to the US Congress website, Harris, from Maryland, is a career member of the US Senior Foreign Service with the rank of Minister-Counsellor.
His nomination was received from President Donald Trump on July 21, 2026, and referred to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
The committee held a hearing on Sept 16 before the nomination was discharged from further consideration by unanimous consent on Sept 30. The Senate considered and confirmed his nomination on the same day.
Harris served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs from July 18, 2022, to Aug 5, 2025, overseeing US relations with Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia.
The ambassadorial post in Kuala Lumpur has been vacant since February following the departure of Edgard D. Kagan, who concluded his tenure as the 22nd US Ambassador to Malaysia.
Kagan, a career diplomat, presented his credentials to His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, in March 2024 after being confirmed by the Senate in November 2023. — BERNAMA